Chereads / Crimson Faith : A Naruto Tale / Chapter 9 - The Night of Graduation : Part 1

Chapter 9 - The Night of Graduation : Part 1

It's nighttime in central Konoha, and the Hokage building stands tall, a symbol of pride and majesty for most villagers. The moonlight casts shadows on the well-known structure, giving it an air of mystery. The Hokage building houses the village's leadership and secrets, making it a crucial and heavily guarded location.

Shinobi patrols move stealthily around the premises, each one diligently performing their duty to ensure the security of the building. The night air is filled with a sense of vigilance as these ninja remain alert, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of intrusion. The quietude of the night is only broken by the soft footsteps and rustling leaves as the shinobi carry out their watch, safeguarding the secrets of Konoha from potential threats.

Naruto, surprisingly,with an unexpected display of discretion, stealthily sneaks around the Hokage building. Despite his usual energetic demeanor, tonight he moves with a quiet determination. He skillfully opens a window, slipping inside the building with a wide grin on his face.

Remarkably, it appears that the vigilant shinobi outside didn't detect his entrance. Inside the building, Naruto continues to follow Mizuki's mysterious instructions, navigating the corridors in search of the specific room he has been told to visit. The quietness of the night is now his ally as he treads carefully, on a mission known only to him and Mizuki.

Naruto, having found the specific room, retrieves a seal tag adorned with mysterious symbols, prominently featuring the kanji for "key." Placing the tag on the door, a faint sound of something breaking can be heard. Startled, Naruto quickly turns around, his heart pounding with fear. He anxiously hopes that no one heard the subtle noise, feeling a sense of relief as no shinobi immediately confronts him.standing with bated breath, the door now slightly ajar,he got inside. 

In the dimly lit room, Naruto closes the door behind him and lights a small candle using the Campfire Jutsu—a skill he learned for survival in the wild when lacking a lighter. The soft glow reveals a pile of large scrolls, and after searching, he locates the specific scroll that Mizuki mentioned, bearing the bold inscription "Forbidden Scroll of Knowledge."

Without any apparent alarms triggered, Naruto can't contain his excitement. He makes a small cheer, a whispered "yes," as he carefully lifts the forbidden scroll and straps it over his back. With this crucial step accomplished, Naruto knows that his mission is only halfway done, and the true challenge lies in getting in the location given by mizuki,and to successfully learn a jutsu from.

A sudden "Naruto?" freezes him in his step. Light floods the room, revealing the unexpected presence of the Third Hokage. Confusion apparent in his face, he questions, "What are you doing here?" Naruto, knowing he can't afford to get stopped at this critical moment, suddenly offers an apology, "Sorry, Grandpa!" He swiftly performs the transformation seal, and a cloud of smoke fills the room.

The Third Hokage, with vigilant eyes seeing Naruto utilizing Ninjutsu, prepares to confront him. However, in an unforeseen turn of events, he is thrown to the other side of the room by the blood coming out his nose, his face showing signs of blushing and a faint smile,unconscious and comically twitching on the Ground. Naruto's transformation, now appearing as a sexy naked woman.With strategically placed smoke adds an air of mystery, emphasizing the charm of the illusion,explaining well the reason for the old hokage's failure to resist.

The room is filled with an unexpected mix of tension and amusement as Naruto, now out of his transformed state, seizes the opportunity to escape the Third Hokage's scrutiny and continue his mission with the forbidden scroll. 

As Naruto swiftly leaves the room, the atmosphere falls into a heavy silence. However, if naruto was still there,he would be surprised to see the unconscious Third Hokage rise,his wise eyes fixated on the direction Naruto escaped.

It seems as if he was Unaffected by the previous events,if not for the small blush adorning his face. Seeming to communicate with the shadows, he issued a stern order, "Follow him and make sure his life isn't in danger."

The sound of footsteps rushing away echoes in response to the Third Hokage's command, signaling that unseen forces are now in pursuit of Naruto. 

The room, once filled with tension and humor, now holds an air of mystery as the Third Hokage takes subtle actions to ensure Naruto's safety, leaving questions about his intentions lingering in the shadows. 

Now assured of Naruto's safety, He take steps out of the room. Standing by the window, and watching the full moon, he turns to find two Anbu operatives on their knees, awaiting his orders. With authority in his voice, he commands, "Call the Jounins. Tell them to assemble"

"It's gonna be a long night."

The two Anbu, receiving their instructions, respond with a simple "Affirmatif" before seamlessly melting into the shadows.

 The Third Hokage, making a one-handed seal, disappears in a burst of smoke. He reappears above the Hokage building, gazing at the carved faces of the Hokages. His expression remains unreadable as he stops at the Fourth Hokage's face, adding an air of mystery to the unfolding events in the hidden village.

In another part of the village, the group of robed individuals reappears. The leader, this time revealing his face, boasts an angular visage, sharp purple eyes, and long silver hair cascading down his shoulders. Seeming to receive a message,He commands his followers with sinister eyes glowing in the dark, "Create as much chaos as you could. Don't be afraid of death, for it's the domain of our lord. The target has been seen going into the location.Your noble sacrifice an honor to yourself,our lord will be pleased after his resurrection"

A red stone, glowing ominously on his chest, adds an eerie touch to the unfolding scene. The ominous atmosphere and the leader's commanding presence foreshadow a dark and sinister turn in the village. 

One of the hooded figures dares to inquire about Mizuki's fate, asking the leader, "What about Mizuki?" In response, the leader coldly states that Mizuki's usefulness is soon coming to an end.

"What about him ? we won't be needing him soon enough" The ominous tone suggests that Mizuki may have served his purpose in the unfolding plan, hinting at a darker fate for the treasonous teacher.

The hooded figure nods in understanding, turning to the others who await their orders. As a group, they disappear, leaving the room empty. Meanwhile, the leader steps outside, revealing that the room was underground in a small clearing. His hands form a seal, preparing to depart, when a sudden clap on his shoulder stops him.

"My My,i wouldn't be so quick if I were you.A Bit rude to go without greeting the host. You wouldn't want to come off as an impolite personne, would you ?" Kakashi's face appears, a smile forming with his eye in a crescent shape. Slowly opening it, he reveals a very cold stare, continuing, "Give me the opportunity to show my hospitality."

In the village, the sound of fighting resonates through the air, blades clashing, and shadows engaging in combat. Among the hooded figures, one reveals her face, a woman showing surprise and yelling, "Why are you guys ready for us?! Did we get betrayed?" A thought crosses her mind, suspecting Mizuki's involvement.

Facing her is Asuma, nonchalantly smoking,his chakra blade on his hand,giving her a cool look. "Don't think the village security is so weak. We smelled your stinky breath since day one," he remarks casually.

Beside him, Yuhi Kurenai is seen smiling in disdain. "We just wanted to spare ourselves the effort and waited for you to show your head."

The woman,Now giving a twisted expression of rage,took a red vial,the same as the one given to mizuki.drinking it,her body suddenly became red,with darks and white line on it. Giving a mad smile,she jumped at Asuma,the letter giving her a serious expression seeing her now getting stronger

Moments before, above the Hokage building, a group of Jounin assembles before the Hokage, waiting for his instructions. Hushed voices circulate among them, speculating if the village is under attack. One Jounin, having more information than his colleagues, mentions it may concern the Nine-Tails, only to receive cold stares from those around him. Feeling bashful, he clears his throat and falls silent.

The Third Hokage, seeing the unease among them, calms them with a deep voice, informing them, "Silence."

"I called you for multiple reasons. Among them,Naruto took the scroll of forbidden knewledge" Choked by the revelation, the Jounin erupt into a wave of discussions. 

Some loudly exclaim, "Naruto took it too far this time!" gaining agreement from those who clearly hold a grudge against him. 

Among them, Kakashi remains indifferent, reading his favorite book, Icha Icha Makeout Tactics. To more knowledgeable eyes, what he holds is a premium version.Beside Kakashi, Gai loudly exclaims his disapproval of Naruto's "unyouthful" behavior and declares his intent to capture Naruto for the Hokage to punish, accompanying it by a big shiny smile and a raised thumb. 

Asuma, standing beside him, turns to Genma and inquires if he knows what might have pushed Naruto to such actions,aware that it would be normally impossible for naruto to access such an important object. Kurenai, initially interested in the conversation, loses interest as Genma gives a shrug of ignorance.

All eyes turn to the Third Hokage, who sternly addresses the situation, stating, "There is a bigger concern than Naruto's actions. We have some weed to root out." With cold, powerful eyes, he commands, "I want you to get all of them swiftly. Don't fool around. I want cleans streets for tomorrow."

The village's elite shinobi receive their orders, and the atmosphere becomes charged with a sense of urgency. 

One of the Jounin, grasping the gravity of the situation, asks, "What about Naruto?" The Hokage, understanding the underlying intent, replies, "Naruto's matters are already undertaken," prompting a dawning realization among all the Jounin. It becomes clear to them that Naruto's actions may serve as a strategic bait, diverting attention and allowing the village to address the larger conspiracy lurking in the shadows.

The Hokage, satisfied by the perceived understanding among the Jounin, gives them his permission to go, prompting a chorus of "understood." They disappear using various forms of Shunshin no Jutsu, leaving only Kakashi behind. 

Closing his book, Kakashi questions the Hokage, "Is Naruto going to be safe?" The old Hokage offers a small smile and assures him, "You don't need to worry. I already have someone making sure he won't die."

Kakashi, catching a hint of something deeper, asks, "It seems that Naruto is in for a hectic time. Are you avenging yourself from all the pranks?" The Third Hokage chuckles, then looks back at the Fourth Hokage's face, declaring with strong determination in his eyes, "You can't breed a strong plant in a warehouse. Struggling is what makes a shinobi grow. It's also a chance for Naruto to show his potential." Kakashi, understanding the message, nods. As someone born in wartime and having lost many comrades to war, he comprehends the Third Hokage's approach to nurturing strength through adversity.As final touch,the third hokage added "Don't forget he is also That man son" with a smirk on his face.

Kakashi,now his face not expressing anything,only disappeared in a swirl of leave,leaving the third hokage to his thoughts.